2112
by Just Your Life
Summary: In the dystopic future of Pokemon, Pokemon are viewed as weapons by the rulers of the Pokemon world and are banned amongst the general populace. What happens when people decide to rise up against their oppressors? Pokespe verse, rated T for language.
1. Prologue

**A/N: It's been a while since I uploaded a story. I've had this one in my head for quite a while but couldn't find the time to start writing. And now that I'm confident that I can finish this story, it will be my first multi-chapter fic! :D It's based on Pokémon Special Manga which is also the setting, just some years into the future; Red and Green are in their thirties, I'm gonna let you guys guess what the other dex holders' ages are. This was partially inspired by the song 2112 by Rush and has some elements from the song's storyline in this story so you might want to listen to it. It's rated T for language and violence. Enjoy :3**

**Disclaimer: ****The author of this fanfiction does not, in any way, profit from the story and all rights to Pokemon Special and the song "2112" belong to their original author(s).**

**Prologue**

_Pallet Town, Year 2102_

Professor Oak ran back and forth in his laboratory, the atmosphere full of hectic abnormality. However, it is pretty well known that the distinguished Professor's mornings always transgressed in comparison to a normal person's life. But what is normal nowadays, in this chaotic world?

The professor grunted, heaved a crate full of research papers and started walking towards his messy desk through the dull hallways of his lab. No windows, photos or even the modest plant could be seen in the high-tech lab—only machines churning up more and more papers for whatever research professor Oak would want to examine.

He lets go of the crate, letting it drop on his desk ungracefully. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling around his wrinkles. He was quite tired, having spent weeks, if not months, researching on this fantastical little energy source that could solve all of Pallet town's energy problems. And just as he was this close to finding the answer to their dilemma, he hears a knock on his door. The professor takes a moment to look at himself in the mirror. Oh, how time passes by; a frown crosses his features as he examines his pale skin and snow white hair, his lab coat covering a red t-shirt and brown trousers that covered his leg, his foot covered by old dark brown shoes with mold growing out of his left shoe's right aglet. Such detail is what a professor can only see. From the small scratch at the heel of his shoe to the tiny speck of dust resting on his eyebrow.

Turning around quickly and flicking the speck of dust away, the professor opens the door to see the grinning figure of a large, fit man with blonde hair characterized by the rough edged military cut. The professor turned around and began walking towards his desk not bothering with the rest of the man's features as he already knew who it was.

"Nice to see you, prof!" yelled the man, following the professor with confidence and, as the professor aptly ignored, grin still as big if not even bigger.

"What are you here for, Surge?" enquired the professor with a bored, tired tone as he sat down behind his desk and began sorting his papers from the crate he carried earlier.

"Um... Do you have any mouthwash?" asked Lt. Surge with uncertainty, something really uncharacteristic of him. The professor took his eyes off his papers and looked at Lt. Surge with annoyance in his eyes.

"What the hell do you need mouthwash for? You don't care about your hygiene any more than a Mankey does," replied the professor in a slightly more intrigued tone than before.

"Well, ya know how it is. In these times one can't be too careful—"

"Your point being?"

"Eh, if you don't have any it's okay. I can ask other people," replied Lt. Surge with more confidence.

After a few moments of silent staring from professor Oak, he nodded, "Check the medicine cabinet."

"Thanks, prof!" Lt. Surge bellowed in his usual overconfident demeanor.

The professor returned to examining the papers, skimming through charts, graphs and translations of ancient texts and Unown language. Searching for anything that could help them in their situation rather than delay them further and leave them hurtling towards obscurity. Taking his eyes off the papers for a second, he could have sworn he saw Lt. Surge gulp down an entire bottle of mouthwash and throw the container in a recycling bin. Deciding to focus on Lt. Surge for the moment; the professor promptly ignores the papers and sighs.

"Why did you just swallow an entire bottle of mouthwash?" Oak dared to ask, even though he knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"You mean you aren't supposed to swallow it?" said Lt. Surge in an innocent surprised voice. The professor obviously saw through it and walked towards the recycling bin—it wasn't like they could afford to recycle nowadays anyway—and took the container out somberly, dreading that his hypothesis was indeed correct. Checking the ingredients of the mouthwash, he glares at Lt. Surge, who was already prepared for Oak's full-on lecture mode.

"Of all the stupid—drinking, seriously! Some of the stuff in this mouthwash is dangerous, drink too much at once and you could have a heart attack! I thought we agreed that alcohol is to not be permitted inside Pallet town a long ago when you came here seeking shelter. I understand that you're having trouble dealing with your alcoholism, but are you really that desperate that you're willing to drink mouthwash not knowing anything about what's in it except for the high alcohol levels and—"

"Not to interrupt you or anything, but why is that thing beeping?" Lt. Surge pointed at one of the older machines in the lab. It was so rusty that it was a surprise that machine was still in commission. The professor was prepared for an interruption and was about to continue, but then recognized the incessant beeping he had longed to hear for years. He ran frantically towards the machine with Lt. Surge following in curiosity.

"This… This is…" professor Oak looked like he was on the verge of crying, "The answer, I've finally found it!"

The machine slowly reeled out a single sheet of paper with incomprehensible text. The professor was one of the few people who could read it, of course. Lt. Surge peeked over the professor's shoulder, scratching his head in confusion as to what the nonsensical gibberish or complicated extraterrestrial dialect would mean. It obviously meant something; otherwise the professor wouldn't be so excited. The professor speed walks towards his desk, still staring in wonder at the paper in his hand. Lt. Surge followed gingerly, almost like he was expected to do so (or the professor was just ignoring him).

"It will take me a while to translate. If only Elm was here, he's much more fluent in reading this dialect…" grumbled the professor with excitement still etched in his voice. The professor then turned his head to face Lt. Surge so fast that he was surprised there was no whiplash.

"Surge, mind telling Green to come here?" requested professor Oak solemnly, as if he was ashamed to ask an annoying person like Lt. Surge for such a task.

"Okay, we have the night shift tonight anyway," said Lt. Surge and left without excusing himself, leaving the professor to his thoughts.

_Just a few more days, Oak. Just a few more days…_

2112

The high walls encircling Pallet town loomed above the town. It was just another day of hoping that one day they wouldn't have to hope for something ever again. Outside the walls of Pallet town was all under control by the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx, a group of Pokémon extremists who ban the use of Pokémon by the general population and allow the use of Pokémon as weaponry within their ranks. This, of course, led to many groups of Pokémon trainers and enthusiasts to rise up against their oppressors. Not a single rebellion against the Priests was successful, unless you count the fact that Pallet town was never taken by the Priests as a "rebellion" on its own.

The Pallet town Revolutionary Guard had some of the most elite trainers in Kanto, which was one of the reasons Pallet town remained out of the Priests' control. That and the kamikaze-like attitude of Lt. Surge against the Priests.

A man in his late forties stood near the northern gates of Pallet town, assuming his patrolling position as he waited for his replacement to relieve him. His wait was over quick, as another man wearing a simple black shirt covered with a red button up jacket, jeans that covered his legs and had that trademark somewhat spiky black hair that differentiated him from anyone else in Pallet town walked towards him with Pikachu in tow.

"You're late, Red," groaned the man in his late forties, Red simply nodded back and watched as the man began walking towards his house. Red stared at the sky, contemplating at how the stars could be so free when they weren't; the stars weren't even living creatures. He felt Pika leap to settle on his head, Red was used to it of course so he wasn't fazed, gazing up at the stars with his trainer.

"They're beautiful, aren't they, Pika?" Red murmured, "If only I was a star… That would be cool."

"Weirdo," said a voice behind him, Red didn't bother turning around as he already knew who it was.

"Hey Surge, are you drunk again?" asked Red like it was a daily occurrence for Lt. Surge to be drunk, which it was. No matter how many times Prof. Oak tried to restrict alcohol in Pallet town, Lt. Surge would find more ways to get his hands on some fine liquor. _At least he doesn't drink like he used to when the Priests first appeared_, Red thought to himself.

"Nope. How come stating the truth makes me drunk?" replied Lt. Surge, who stood next to Red, as it was his night shift as well.

"I heard that the professor had this big discovery earlier today?" asked Red, promptly ignoring Lt. Surge's question.

"Yeah, I think it has something to do with the power shortages we keep having. A solution to them, I mean," answered Lt. Surge in monotone, clearly he didn't care about trivial matters. Not that they were trivial matters to anyone else, so to speak.

"Really? That was fast, only took us seven days!" exclaimed Red, "Huh. I wonder where Green's at."

"He's patrolling the underground tunnels tonight," replied Lt. Surge, still in monotone.

Red gave Lt. Surge a strange look, "You sound bored today, what's up?"

"Nothing, that's what's up, we keep fighting these freaks to defend Pallet town and so what? What's the point when the rest of Kanto is under their control and we never bother to help them? What about my home town Vermillion, are we just gonna leave that town to rot under those assholes' control?" fumed Lt. Surge, taking Red by surprise. Red thought over what he was going to say next, knowing that if he said the wrong thing Lt. Surge would throw a fit.

"They outnumber us," started Red gently, "By hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, we wouldn't stand a chance!"

"And yet, we kept this little town protected while the rest of the Pokémon world got screwed over. If we keep like this then they'll just get stronger and we'll never be able to defeat them!" argued Lt. Surge.

"So you're suggesting we go in there blind and take as many with us as we can? There's no difference, Surge, they outnumber us now, they will outnumber us in the future, there's no point in fighting them when all we can do is defend Pallet town and hope to last as long as we can!" snapped Red, not willing to continue the conversation. Lt. Surge went quiet, sudden realization having taken effect. They stood there silently for some time; Red stared at the sky with Pika again and Lt. Surge stared at his legs like a shamed school boy being berated for bad behavior.

Red's radio suddenly cackled into life, "Aerodactyl One, status report," echoed the robotic voice of the communication system programmed by professor Oak.

"Nothing to report here," replied Red.

"Await assignment, Aerodactyl One," cackled the radio once more. Lt. Surge turned his stare towards Red; not a lot of interesting things happened during night shifts lately.

Lt. Surge chuckled, "Seems like trouble!"

Red rolled his eyes, and was surprised to hear the radio come to life again, "Breach in tunnel-A and B, Feebas One will take care of it. Aerodactyl One and Electrode One are to scout for further opposition and await backup."

"Finally, something exciting around here!" yelled Lt. Surge, who had already sent out 3 Magneton and, using their conflicting magnetic fields, rose up and stood at the top of the high wall encircling pallet town. Red followed on his Aerodactyl. The scene they saw before them left them awestruck.

"Oh shit," stated the wide-eyed Red. It was an understatement really, considering there were hundreds of Pokémon and trainers lined up in front of the Pallet town walls, seemingly ready to attack. The Pokémon were fitted with cannons, guns of sorts and the larger ones carried bulky looking cubes. Red and Lt. Surge knew who they were and what those 'modifications' were, of course, and knew that their intent was murderous. Lt. Surge, however, was excited that he finally had some people to beat the shit out of.

"CHARGE!" yelled Lt. Surge, jumping off the wall and running towards the Priests' army. He released several Electrode, Manectric, Magneton and a single Magnezone.

"Electrode, bomb the shit out of them, no remorse. Magnezone, lead the Magneton towards battle and try to disable the enemy's weaponry with whatever means necessary. Manectric, kill anyone that survives the Electrode's Explosion attacks," Lt. Surge ordered quickly. His Pokémon quickly did as they were told, breaking into the lines of the Priests. Lt. Surge released a Raichu and an Electivire, "Raichu, harden your tail with Iron Tail and hack through anyone who gets too close to me. Electivire, shock anyone who tries to attack me, I need to do something…" Lt. Surge began fiddling with what looked like a satchel charge.

Red had obeyed the orders and waited for reinforcements. He stood outside the walls of Pallet town with 8 other trainers, all ready to go into battle. Red didn't need to say anything for them to know that it was time to attack the Priests to defend Pallet town. After all, offense is the best defense. They rushed towards battle, brandishing all their pokeballs and releasing their Pokémon. Red sighed, he loved to battle Pokémon. But he just hated it when it was serious like this.

_I wonder what everyone else is doing…_

2112

_Under Pallet Town, Tunnel A_

A man with spiky brown hair stood over several dead and knocked out bodies and Pokémon. His Scizor stood near him, looking equally bored. The man was Green Oak, the silent person that no one wants to piss off because when they do… They're pretty much fucked.

Green took out his radio, "Feebas One reporting, Tunnel A is clear. How's tunnel B, Dragonite?"

The response was quick, and Green could hear the sounds of war in the background of the transmission, "Not too good, there's a Rhyperior occupying half our squadron! It's carrying a purification cube!"

Green cursed under his breath and quickly replied, "I'm on my way! Try destroying it with Draco Meteor," Green turned to his Scizor, "You stay here in case more of them try to enter from this tunnel," the Scizor nodded. Green began running towards Tunnel B. It was very close by, so he could get there quickly and easily.

Green soon reached the ongoing battle in Tunnel B. All of the enemies have been eliminated except for a Rhyperior carrying a heavy gray cube with a red circle on the top and green lights on the lining of the corners. It didn't have a trainer, so that was a good sign. A woman stood in front of the Rhyperior with a Dragonite—presumably hers—glaring at the Rhyperior menacingly.

"Draco Meteor!" commanded the woman. Much to her dismay, the Rhyperior turned and shielded the cube with its hard body. Even as the Rhyperior had flaming meteors hitting his back, it was not fazed; it was ready to carry out its mission by whatever means necessary. It turned around to face the exhausted Dragonite with a smug grin, its victory was short lived, however, as Green quickly took out his Charizard and gave out his order.

"Blast Burn."

Fire erupted from Charizard's mouth as the temperature in Tunnel B jolted upwards. The fire hit the Rhyperior head-on with amazing ferocity. Although the Rhyperior just barely survived the attack, the cube it was carrying was shattered to pieces. Before anyone could finish the Rhyperior off, it used whatever last bits of strength it had to initiate an Earthquake. The already sensitive tunnel shook weakly and, unfortunately for everyone in the tunnel, the tunnel caved in. Burying with it every human and Pokémon. The tunnel caved in so fast no one was able to escape, much less prevent it.

A disgruntled Scizor rushed towards the wreck, hoping to find his trainer somewhere. He saw a pointed tuft of hair coming out of a small hole in a cluster of concrete and metal. Quickly destroying all the obstacles in the way, Scizor hauls his trainer out of the wreckage, checking for any life signs. Desperately, Scizor attempted to wake up his trainer gently, to no avail. Scizor kept trying regardless, hoping that by some miracle he wouldn't be dead…

_The tattered body of Green Oak showed no sign of life._

2112

_Back at Pallet Town…_

Professor Oak frantically paced up and down after hearing that Tunnel B had collapsed with several people inside, including his very own grandson, Green Oak.

The professor took out his radio, "Send team Camerupt to help us out on the southern front. The priests are gathering aquatic forces from Cinnabar Island. I'll take the rest of team Blissey to try and rescue the people in what used to be Tunnel B," not bothering for confirmation, Oak started running towards Tunnel B.

When he reached Tunnel B, he saw several men clad in white robes. They all looked quite different in looks, but one thing they had in common (other than the clothing) were the Pokémon that had cannons attached to their shoulders, arms or hands. One of the Pokémon, however, looked different than the others. It was a Snorlax carrying a gray cube, something that caught professor Oak's attention and had him quickly send out a Blissey for defense.

The trainer of the Snorlax wore slightly different clothes, having a blue crescent on her top. She stepped forward and raised her thin arms up in greeting.

"The renowned professor Oak, somehow I thought you'd be much taller," said the woman smugly, "And bulkier."

"Blissey, Egg Bomb!" professor Oak ordered hastily, not bothering with the introductions. The Priests' Pokémon easily evaded the attack.

"Careful now, you don't want to hurt your friends," warned the woman. To the professor's horror, he saw the entire team Blissey clad in white alongside the enemy. Although he had theorized how the Priests' could brainwash people into joining them, he doesn't know how they did. His theory supposed that the gray cube would be the culprit but he has no evidence to support that claim.

"I'm guessing that you're wondering how, huh?" smiled the woman, "Out of my good intentions, I will tell you how," she pointed at the gray box in her Snorlax's hand, "That box emits a special gas we, the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx, made to enlighten these poor souls into believing what they should have believed right from the start."

"Is it that simple?" asked professor Oak.

"It's best kept simple," the woman answered.

There was a comfortable silence between both sides as Oak seemed to be thinking of what his next move should be and the Priests were anticipating said attack.

Suddenly, a group of trainers rushed to the professor's aid, sending out several Pokémon to attack the unwavering—and clearly disciplined—line of priests.

"Get back, prof!" yelled one of the trainers, "We'll handle this."

"But… You're supposed to be protecting the southern front!" yelled the exasperated professor.

"It was a diversion! These guys got here by coming through Tunnel A, now go!"

Professor Oak was about to head back to his lab when a Tangrowth grabbed him with its tentacles. **(A/N: Not sure what to call those things…)**

"Professor Oak is coming with us," stated the woman calmly, "Tangrowth, take him with us, we're leaving."

"No he's not! He's staying right here in Pallet town!" snapped a man who seemed to be the leader of team Camerupt. You could guess that because he was the only trainer with a Camerupt.

The woman laughed, "And _you're _the one to stop me? Tangrowth, we're going."

"Over my dead body!" yelled the infuriated man. Suddenly, the woman turned around, this time she didn't look calm. Now she looked angry. And you could tell she was angry because the Tangrowth stopped moving and looked like it was prepared to beat the shit out of Camerupt despite the type disadvantage.

"Tangrowth, Power Whip."

Tangrowth's tentacles quickly shot out and hit the Camerupt within a second. The Camerupt fell over like a cow when it's tipped over. Difference here is that the Camerupt was able to get up without anyone else to help it, much to the Tangrowth's trainer's surprise.

"Eruption!" ordered the man, knowing that the damage of the attack would reach everyone near him. The more the merrier, they say. Large amounts of molten rock were launched from the holes on the two humps on Camerupt's back, flying into the air and predictably falling back down to hit its target (and a whole bunch of other people and Pokémon). The Tangrowth shields its trainer and professor Oak and sustains several burns on its body. Victory was short lived; as the Camerupt's trainer soon realized that a priest's Charizard had the cannons on its shoulders point menacingly towards him and the Camerupt. It was too late however, as he felt the thunderous roar of an explosive round hit him and his Camerupt. He didn't hear anything else after that.

Professor Oak stared in horror at the bloodied remains of the Camerupt and its trainer. Too shocked for words. He'd seen many of these cannons fatally injure Pokémon and destroy infrastructures, but never saw these weapons be used against human beings. Sure, he'd seen some trainers get killed by Pokémon attacks in his days, but pulverized by an explosion caused by a Pokémon? Not really.

"Tangrowth, knock our _guest _out with your Constrict attack," ordered the devilish woman, that is how the professor viewed her as now. He knew that these self-proclaimed Priests of the Temple of Syrinx were bad people; he just didn't know that they were all fucking insane. He soon felt a sharp pain as the Tangrowth tightened its grip on him.

_And soon, all was null and void._

2112

Red returned Saur to his pokeball after realizing that an inflammatory gas canister was launched amidst the battlefield. He takes out Poli instead, knowing that water Pokémon would put up a fight much better than a grass Pokemon if a fire starts. They were, after all, near Viridian city, and near Viridian city was Viridian forest. Red glimpsed Lt. Surge's Electrode run into the ranks of Priests and explode, whilst an army of Manectric and Magneton led by a single Magnezone were finishing off those who survived the explosions made by the Electrode.

_I wonder why the radio doesn't work anymore… _Red thought. Sure, he was worried, but he knew Pallet town was safe when Green and professor Oak along with several other strong trainers were there to protect it.

An earsplitting sound filled Red's ears to the point that he couldn't hear anything afterwards; a blinding flash also took away Red's sight for a few moments as he wondered what had just happened. He soon realizes that it was an explosion at the back of the Priests' army. Instantly, he knew what happened.

"God damnit Surge, you could've warned me," mumbled Red, who was already running deeper into enemy territory to join his other fighters in there. He could see around six to eight of them, with him and Surge that made ten. At this rate, they were going to lose regardless of how the current battle went. Surge's Electrode army was spent and his other electric Pokémon weren't as strong without their trainer. Red jumped out of the way just before an explosive shell hit the ground near him.

"Now they're targeting us instead of our Pokémon!" exclaimed Red, "Shit!"

Red jumped out of the way again as a barrage of shells hailed down, killing some of his allies and their Pokémon. A few died from the explosions, some died from gas bombs and a couple of others were killed by a Pokémon attack. Red knew one thing was certain; he and Surge were the only ones left and since the radio was busted they couldn't call for help. _I need to hold them off as long as I can, _thought Red. After all, the only thing he had left now was the hope that he would buy enough time for the remaining forces in Pallet town to regroup and prepare for the Priests' assault.

Red released all his Pokémon. Just as he was about to give out his commands, he heard a female voice call his name from behind. Ordering his Pokémon to do whatever they think they should do, Red turns around to see Daisy Oak running towards him. She stops and briefly gasps for air.

"Red… They've taken over Pallet town!"

Red stared wide-eyed at Daisy in disbelief at what she said. Somehow, he didn't feel like fighting anymore. He just felt like giving up.

"That's not the Red I know!" echoed Yellow's voice through Red's head.

"Yellow, is that you!" yelled Red.

"I'm your conscience!" berated Yellow, "I'm telling you that you aren't acting like yourself. Just because Pallet town has was taken it doesn't mean that you should give up, put up a fight to the very end. That's who you are Red, a fighter! That's who _we _are."

"A… Fighter…" mumbled Red to himself.

"A FIGHTER!" yelled Red in anger, abruptly rushing into the battlefield with his Pokémon. He started giving his Pokémon attack orders quickly, and soon he was an unstoppable war machine, which is the last thing anyone would think of Red. But soon, the huge army of Priests overwhelmed Red, knocking out his Pokémon one by one. The last thing Red saw was a man wearing a white robe with a blue crescent on the top of the robe grabbing Daisy and taking her away on the Salamence. This was before a hyper beam hit him. His Pokémon had all fainted so none of them could block the attack. And so, Red inevitably blacked out.

_And so, Pallet town was the last place to fall under the rule of the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx._

**A/N: So you guys might be confused as to who the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx (I should really start abbreviating this, but POTTOS sounds silly) are and how they're relevant to this story. Well, they're basically a bunch of people who abuse Pokémon and use them as weapons. And since they view Pokémon as weaponry, they ban the use of Pokémon by anyone outside their group. **

**The characters from this chapter will NOT be the main characters (at least, not in the near future) and this chapter is meant as an introduction so you readers can get a general idea of what my story is gonna have :P**

**If you have anything to ask about, just drop a review, I won't mind.**

**For the tl;dr: R&R please!**


	2. Chapter I: Overture

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been busy with school and stuff. Plus, Fanfiction decided to screw up on me when I initially tried to upload this chapter. Anyway, it's all fixed now. I'm going to try and get the next chapter as fast as possible, but life comes first! I didn't expect to get any reviews since most people here on FF tend to read more shippy fics and the sort. Doesn't matter, as long as someone can enjoy this (even if it's just me) that's enough motivation for me to write. Also, this chapter will talk about some darker topics. Don't read if you are an immature person, remember that this is written by a 14-year-old so I think the rating is appropriate. If you disagree, just drop a review and I'll change the rating. This chapter will be mostly in Bill's POV, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: ****The author of this fanfiction does not, in any way, profit from the story and all rights to Pokémon Special and the song "2112" belong to their original author(s).**

**Chapter I: Overture**

_Goldenrod City, Year 2112_

People tell me about when life was good. When humans and Pokémon travelled together as companions; when cities were bustling with energy and excitement; when the world was a giant playground waiting to be enjoyed, but life isn't like that anymore. When theycame, everything changed. It was an amazing thing, how fasttheywere able to spread out; like a cult, they would roam the regions and spread their philosophy among power hungry misfits itching for some change. In that regard, it wasn't much different than an unstoppable disease spreading around with people desperately trying to stop it. Only to fail when they either succumb to the disease or die fighting it. In a matter of days they were able to take over all major cities, Goldenrod was no exception. It was the heart of Johto, a large, highly populated and modernized urban area with huge potential. It would be foolish not to spread their philosophy among the people of Goldenrod.

I, of course, refrained from participating in whatever twisted activities they participated in. I heard that they would pick off little children playing outside and expose them to some kind of glowing box that would immediately change them to cold-hearted beasts. I never understood how they did it, but it didn't matter. The fact that it was happening bothered me to no end. At the time, I thought it was a fluke; a silly rumor just to publicize said cult. Oh, how wrong was I.

A few weeks after they started spreading out, some of them began to patrol the streets with Pokémon carrying strange equipment that looked like cannons or guns. I asked one of them what those were, and the next moment he attempted to kill me using his Pokémon. At that point, I was scared shitless. I retaliated with my Arcanine; knowing that Farfetch'd wouldn't last against the enemy's Electabuzz. The battle didn't go well, with the Electabuzz preferring to attack me directly rather than Arcanine. What was more unnerving was that the cannon mounted on Electabuzz's back was shooting something at Arcanine at the same time, effectively occupying us both. Knowing I wouldn't last long, I quickly returned Arcanine and managed to escape by running as fast as I can. Luckily, I wasn't followed.

The next few hours would come to haunt me, as they began some kind of rally near the Radio Tower. Their leader went on and on about the 'abnormality of Pokémon' and how they are 'dangerous weapons only fit for trustworthy hands'. Some people joined their cause after that speech. I didn't know why, but I think that it might have something to do with the iron gray box used as a podium. It would glow every now and then and I would reconsider the rumor about little children being snagged.

My thoughts were cut short when they, who announced themselves as 'The priests' of some temple, began attacking anyone who refused to give up their Pokémon. People were running in all directions and at such urgency that some people who were unfortunate enough to fall were crushed to death. I grimaced as I stepped over a bloodied face scarred by what looked like a fire attack. A flurry of different types of Pokémon attacks flew in the air; people were fighting back.

I was about to assist them. But then, a huge hyper beam attack broke through the crowd. Injuring and maybe even killing a large amount of people. The downed people were crushed by the trailing remnants from the crowd and none of them would have been able to recuperate from their injuries soon enough to avoid getting crushed. Amidst the anarchy, I saw people purposely killing others to desperately get out of the chaos. I took out my Farfetch'd and took to the air; risking a hit from aerial attacks soaring around me.

I was one of the few lucky people who survived that day. I heard that the casualty numbers were in the thousands and the deaths were, shockingly, even higher.

What happened after that day, I cannot recall with great enthusiasm. The priests took control of the streets, they confiscated any Pokémon they found and took control of all media and social resources. Restricting the flow of information, they began to broadcast propaganda on the radio, television and even through pamphlets scattered around the city. I've heard of certain arrests to people known for being trainers, among those including our very own Goldenrod gym leader, Whitney.

In a matter of days, the priests had complete control over Goldenrod—and possibly even the entire Johto region. Religious figures were dropped and locations of worship were demolished and destroyed. The priests began burning everything they deemed 'misanthropic towards the mainstay of normality'. Total bollocks coming from them. But by then, it didn't matter. People began gradually believing these priests regardless of all the things they did to them. I was appalled by this; how can people be so stupid at a time like this?

It was fear, I decided. No one really believed any of their bullshit, they simply didn't have a choice in the matter. They feared for their lives. We were born selfish beasts, after all. Civility came afterwards. Soon enough, people got used to pretending. So much that they didn't even realize that they were pretending in the first place. That's how formal society collapsed. People began living in fear and hysteria, never trusting anyone in fits of irregular paranoia. Fear could do such things; I'm surprised I managed to avoid it all. I guess I have more resolve than most people, being a renowned scientific figure in the Pokémon community; I was able to keep a clear view of things.

I sighed, having done with contemplating over the past. After all, the past is done. Things have calmed down now; it was still horrible, but people have grown accustomed to harsh lifestyle. The priests imposed more ridiculous laws that restricted child birth and banned foodstuff that wasn't distributed by them. Worst of all, Pokémon were weapons to them. Anyone that isn't a priest and is caught with a Pokémon is seen as a resistance fighter. For the priests, it's grounds for execution on the spot. The sight of dead bodies being mauled by those priests became a regular sight. As more and more resistance groups got exposed and killed.

The biggest resistance group here in Goldenrod was able to stay largely secretive for the past decade. I knew they were constantly active in every single method of 'civil disobedience' classified by the priests. Whenever rations the priests distributed became irregular or just weren't enough, I would go to get food and water illegally distributed by the Goldenrod resistance.

As a matter of fact, I was on my way there a few moments ago. Until I decided to sit down on a nearby bench covered with dead moss and dried blood to think over my past. I stood up, and started to make my way to a certain house in the southeastern part of the city; this was the least patrolled area by the priests.

As I walked, I took notice of the overturned garbage bins covered with soot after previously being used as a fireplace. Around them scattered different pamphlets with the priests' propaganda. Some were even covered with blood.

The streets were eerily quiet today; empty and completely devoid of life other than myself. That is, not counting the Pokémon I hid inside pokeballs in my trouser pockets. My clothes were crumpled and some parts were stained with blood from events I'd rather not remember. These days, clean clothes weren't freely available and you just had to make do with whatever you get. Same goes for just about everything. Food, entertainment, transport… It gets tough sometimes. And there's also the problem of boredom. Although it might not seem like a big problem, boredom has become a driving force to increasing mental illness among certain minorities. I'm not a psychologist so I don't understand this; I guess doldrums were too much for people to handle, especially if it lasted for years.

Society as we knew it collapsed. I'm not in contact with most of my friends and whatever contact I have is scarce and rare to the point that I would only hear from them every few months—or even years. At this point, some people have begun killing each other and resorting to cannibalism and other certain… Things… That I would rather not elaborate… Hearing of suicides became common news, so much that it didn't even bother me anymore. When people die on a daily basis you grow accustomed to it, just like we got used to everything else for the past decade.

Something I haven't gotten used to—and never will, for the matter—is my growing suspicion that the priests are sending people to concentration camps and are slowly but surely exterminating any possible opponents to their regime. I have no evidence of this other than the huge compound north of the city guarded by a huge number of priests. It was built by them to serve as a jail. I doubt that's the purpose.

Suddenly, a man appears in front of me holding a knife to my throat. He is hooded, so I can't make out his features, not that it would help me.

"Give me all your shit or your head will be a fountain of blood," the mugger got right to the point. Before I can respond or even decide what I'm going to do, the man suddenly falls to the ground, looking paralyzed.

"Citizen, what is your status?" came the monotone voice from a couple of feet ahead. It was one of them, and she had potentially saved my life.

"I'm good. Err… Thanks," I muttered, not sure how to respond. She nodded, accepting my answer. I looked at the mugger; the back of his head was bleeding. I'm not sure what it was but for once I'm actually grateful towards something the priests did. '_To ensure security, normality and consistency in society' _was their motto. Although they would usually use their perception of said motto to their own advantage, sometimes they set aside their differences and decide to do something good. They're still human, after all.

"Citizen, leave the premises," stated the priest. I quickly acknowledged it with a nod and ran off.

Making sure I wasn't followed, I continued my trek towards the supply depot where the Goldenrod resistance usually gave out foodstuff. It wasn't that far now.

After a couple of minutes, I reached the small house that easily looked abandoned due to the rusty iron door and the burn marks purposely left on the walls outside, mostly concentrated near the windows. This was made by a Pokémon's fire attack to trick people into thinking this house was actually abandoned, of course. The resistance had built a system of tunnels running through Goldenrod and that house was connected to it. It was receiving constant stocks of food from certain people outside the city who were able to evade the priests.

I gently knocked on the door. Almost immediately a voice called out, "The bird of Hermes is my name."

"Eating my wings to make me tame," I completed. The door unlocked and opened, I saw the person standing behind it.

"Gold!" I almost yelled, before I remembered that I needed to keep quiet in this area.

"Hey Bill, how've you been?" replied Gold. I rarely saw him since he was high ranking in the resistance group; usually out sabotaging patrols or breaking prisoners out of that 'jail' north of the city. He looked as cheerful as ever, I suppose some things never change. His clothes were just about the same as usual. I was a bit surprised at the cleanliness of his clothing. He held his billiard cue in his right hand, gripping it like a weapon.

"I've been good. For these distraught times, that is," I answered earnestly. He nodded and ushered me in. The interior was quite different from the exterior of the house; the floor was polished and waxed wood while the walls were completely white and spotless. The room was empty except for a small table in the center and a chair behind it. Over the table were towers of paper, none of my business.

Gold walked towards the chair and tilted it slightly to the right with his left hand, his right hand being used to press a hidden button under the table. The chair suddenly rolled off its hinges and the ground under it opened up; a trapdoor. Gold climbed down the cold steel ladder first, with me following behind closely. When we made it down, we were in what I assumed were abandoned tunnels that were going to be used for an underground train system that was being planned before the priests came to rule. We walked through it in silence. The darkness of the tunnel leaving me to my thoughts.

We one end of the tunnel, crates of supplies were clustered around the wall. A man sat on a nearby crate, looking alert. He gave Gold a salute and nodded to me. Gold handed me a packet of military rations; these things lasted much longer than other sources of nourishment. He also handed me some water bottles and a backpack to hide the stuff he gave me.

Gold walked me outside, where he decided to strike conversation, "Have you considered joining us yet?"

I put my right index finger to my chin thoughtfully. Tapping it gently, I realized that I haven't thought about joining the resistance. I'd always thought they'd get crushed sooner or later so it would be pointless. But seeing how long these guys lasted I began to reconsider my decision.

"I don't know," I replied, "I can't be of much use to you guys, I can't battle like you do."

"Don't be ridiculous. We accept any and all people willing to oppose those freaks," reassured Gold, "You're starting to sound like Super Serious Gal, sheesh. You'll be plenty of help."

"I need to think about it," I stated. Ever since the priests took over I've been slightly scatterbrained and I needed to think over most of my decisions to ensure I don't do anything especially stupid.

Gold smiled. "Alright then, you know where to find us… It's good to see you, Bill."

"It's good to see you too Gold." It was only then that I realized how Gold has become more mature. Sure, sometimes he'd act like an irresponsible child but we all want to, deep down. Except maybe Green and Silver.

Walking towards my house, I noticed that the sun was setting. Not good. Creeps were out during the night, you wouldn't be able to tell enemy from friend and worst of all, those priests grab anyone breaking curfew and sends them north.

I decided to run to my house. I reached it fairly quickly, the streets were mostly clear. Opening the door, I was shocked to see a man clad in white and blue towering over me.

"Citizen, where did you acquire prohibited form of nourishment?" the monotone inquired. I felt my body going cold with fear. I was too scared to move or run away.

"Erm… Eh… You see…" I stammered, before I got a sudden thought. Without questioning myself, I quickly took out the pokeball holding Arcanine and released him.

"Arcanine, Extremespeed!" I ordered. The priest unable to retaliate due to speed and ferocity of the attack. He was knocked back and was left straggling on the floor. However, that didn't stop him from releasing his Pokémon.

"Aggron, Thunder wave," the priest ordered in that dreadful monotone. I quickly realized the attack was aimed at me rather than Arcanine and managed to jump out of the way in sheer luck. Thinking quickly, I decided Arcanine's next attack.

"Overheat!" I yelled, knowing that it would incinerate the Aggron due to the type weakness. The Aggron was knocked back like its trainer, but was left scorched; burn marks covering its body. The intensity of the flames coming from Arcanine was so hot that the metal armor on Aggron shined bright red. It seemed that the heat had gotten to its trainer as well, because he fainted from heatstroke.

I ran, knowing that I wasn't safe anymore. There were probably more priests after me now after all the noise I made. And once they find that priest in my house all hell will break loose. I ran towards the only place I thought safe; the supply depot.

Time seemed to go fast, because I reached the resistance supply depot in a matter of minutes, even though it felt like mere seconds. Knocking on the door furiously, Gold immediately answered, "The bird of—"

"OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, GOLD!" I yelled in exasperation. Gold recognized my voice and opened immediately, noticing the urgency in my swearing.

"Calm down, Bill! What happened!" asked Gold, his forehead furrowed, obviously annoyed by the noise I was making.

"They're after me! I…I took out one of them but now it's gonna get worse and…" I didn't say more, because Gold pulled me inside and locked the door. After opening the hidden trapdoor he pushed the table and chair towards the door to serve as a barricade. Not that it would last long.

"Come on!" said Gold, who was clambering down the ladder hurriedly. I followed in suite, trailing behind him in the dark tunnel.

We stopped in front of a door guarded by two women. Gold ordered them to be alert and opened the door, ushering me in. Beyond the door were several rooms that looked like they were going to be used as service offices for the underground train system. Several people were in these rooms. They stopped whatever they were doing when they saw the serious look on Gold's face. Not too soon later, we heard an explosion from above.

"What the fuck was that!" yelled one of the rebels. Gold was quick to answer.

"It seems we've attracted unwanted attention. Get ready for 'em," ordered Gold. People who were previously conversing scrambled for their pokeballs. Others that were sleeping or napping put on protective clothing and whoever was done rushed towards the tunnel.

The sounds of combat erupted in the tunnel; the priests are here. I couldn't help but feel bad; someone must have followed me here. I felt obliged to go into the tunnel and help, but Gold held me back.

"We'll make our stand in this room. We need to take out whatever supplies we have first, and then we move out."

I nodded at Gold's order, helping some of the rebels pile up furniture to barricade the door leading to the tunnel. I saw some people carrying boxes and crates of what I assumed were the supplies Gold was talking about. They carried them to another door; and emergency exit.

I heard a sudden scream from the tunnel. It was a woman's voice. It was one of those screams that simply spelled out death. Some of the rebels dropped what they were doing and looked horrified. One of them was even crying while muttering prayers.

"Almost done, just a few more crates!" announced Gold. Unfortunately, it was right at that moment that the door was blown up, and the barricade with it. The wooden fragments from the furniture hit my right eye, causing me to fall down and yell in agony. I realized that I couldn't hear my scream over the ringing in my ears. I felt a hand on my shoulder and the person whom the hand belonged to mouthed the words, "Follow me!"

I did not hesitate as I followed the woman while holding my right eye, making sure that the wooden fragments lodged there wouldn't cause more damage. She took me to the back of the room, where I saw with my good eye a battle unfold between the priests and rebels belonging to the resistance. Gold was giving them orders as they released their pokeballs and Gold himself released his Typhlosion. The excruciating pain I was in must have been noticeable because the woman decided to sedate me.

_I blacked out._

2112

Gold stood amidst the ongoing battle, assuming the role of commander as he told people what to do. He knew that he shouldn't be taking chances with so much riding on this battle.

"Flamethrower!" his Typhlosion, Baktaro, sent a spiral of flame, hitting a Torterra head on and fainting it. The Torterra's trainer was soon out too, because Gold kicked her in the stomach, making sure he hit hard enough to knock her out. Gold soon moved on to the next priest. And the next one. Before he knew it, he had gone through almost twenty different priests. It seemed like with every priest he took out, four more came as replacement. Not to mention that the rebels were growing increasingly tired.

With that in mind, Gold thought of his next order. "Retreat!" he called out, making sure to drag who ever didn't hear him. Releasing all of his Pokémon, Gold asked them to buy as much time as possible for the injured who needed help to escape.

After making sure that everyone escaped, Gold returned all his Pokémon and ran towards the emergency exit. Gold grinned and took out something that looked like a detonator.

"Good thing this emergency exit was made to withstand explosives," Gold used the detonator, the clicking sound echoing through the hallway beyond the emergency exit. Gold covered his ears as the explosion ringed throughout the hallway. The room he was previously in most likely collapsed due to the explosion. He always knew that rigging the room and tunnel with explosives would pay off one day.

Still grinning, Gold was about to follow his fellow rebels, but was stopped when his pokegear began ringing. Although the priests took out all forms of telecommunication, Bill had managed to make a private network so that Gold can keep in contact with resistance leaders in different places. Flipping the pokegear open, his grin only gets bigger when he sees the caller ID.

"Silver, sup?" Gold talked into the mouthpiece.

"I've found some information you might want to see," replied Silver, getting straight to the point.

"What's that?"

"I infiltrated one of the priests' bases. I think I discovered who the leaders of their group are."

"Hell yeah. You're finally good for something other than staring contests! Who are they?" Gold was ecstatic, obviously ready for some revenge against the priests.

"I have to tell you in person. Meet me in Saffron in two days at noon. Don't worry, I'll find you," Silver answered hastily. Before Gold could say anything, Silver hung up the phone.

_Time for some revenge._

**A/N: To avoid confusion, I'm using Gold's Typhlosion's Japanese name. I'll be doing this for all Pokémon nicknames.**


	3. Chapter II: The Temples of Syrinx Part I

**A/N: I got my first review, woo! Thanks for the review, Skye. I'm glad that someone is enjoying this.**

**Disclaimer: ****The author of this fanfiction does not, in any way, profit from the story and all rights to Pokémon Special and the song "2112" belong to their original author(s).**

**Chapter II: The Temples of Syrinx: Part I**

_Goldenrod City, Year 2112_

Large Pokémon roamed the streets, many of them carrying large grey cubes. They treaded the asphalt concrete; each step making a loud thump, alerting the Goldenrod resistance rebels of their presence. The rebels kept themselves hidden in the shadows, using alleyways and rundown houses as cover. Gold made sure they stuck together, like a wolf pack. They'd pick off any priest Pokémon they'd find alone, making sure that they make absolutely no unnecessary contact with the priests. After all, they were probably the most wanted criminals in Johto. Attacking one priest got you locked in a cell where you would be tortured, forced to eat your own excrement and sleep deprived to the point of complete exhaustion or even death. Killing several priests? Who knows what they would do.

Gold guided the rebels through the umpteenth alleyway while murmuring, "Almost there."

The small group kept moving forward. The more ground they covered the less priests they found; which was ideal, in their case.

Smiling, Gold stopped in front of yet another rundown house. This house was different, however, because it was connected to the underground system the resistance is using. Gold hastily urged everyone in. They complied without a word, many of them dropping to the floor in exhaustion or pain. They've been walking for hours, the priests had uncovered the underground tunnel system and had patrols set around most of the connected houses. It was a miracle this house wasn't teeming with priests.

Gold instructs some rebels to get supplies from the tunnels. He then looks around to check how many people had made it.

"Thirty three…" muttered Gold, only a third had survived. Gold rubs his nose thoughtfully, then proceeds to check on Bill.

"How are you doing?" asked Gold. Bill didn't answer, his right eye covered with a white bandage after the medic took the wooden fragments out of his eye.

Gold grinned. "It isn't so bad. At least now you can wear an eye patch."

Bill gave him a slight smile, encouraging him to continue.

"Chicks love people with eye patches. Pirates had so many chicks that they had their own special word for them; wenches."

Bill chuckled, "Actually, pirates didn't invent that word. It's a good assumption. For you, anyway."

"Are you implying that I'm stupid?" replied Gold.

"Subjective."

"For debate?"

"No, not really."

Comfortable silence came. Gold dropped to the floor, sighing in relief. Some men came up with food and first aid kits, handing them out to everyone. Gold closed his eyes, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. It didn't take much more for Gold to fall asleep. After all, they were all exhausted.

_He was no exception._

2112

_Next morning_

I opened my eyes drowsily, taking in my surroundings sluggishly as I adjusted myself into a more comfortable position against the wall.

I was still in the derelict house. Most of the people around me were asleep, but there were some chatting between themselves or eating what I assumed was breakfast. I rubbed my eyes, got up and stretched, yawning in the process.

Blinking a couple of times, I checked the time on my pokegear. 13:34PM… Haven't been asleep for long. I remembered what Silver had said. I need to be in Saffron city by tomorrow. This would be difficult, since the only way of transportation fast enough to get me there on time was the Magnet Train. And the Magnet Train was heavily guarded by the priests, since they used it for transporting cargo between Kanto and Johto. I could always fly there, but I'd easily get spotted. Going by sea wasn't fast enough.

I began to formulate a plan in my head.

It seemed like ages; I'd been thinking for about two hours. Everyone was awake now, gathering whatever supplies they could carry or mourning the loss of comrades. I stood up and sharply whistled, grabbing everyone's attention.

"I'm going to have to leave for Kanto," I began, "I need to be there by tomorrow. It's extremely important, so the only way I'm gonna get there fast enough is with the Magnet Train."

I could see skeptic looks on several faces; it didn't take a genius to figure out was I was insinuating.

"I'm going to need volunteers," I finished grimly. Some people shared looks or simply ignored what I said, stocking up on more supplies. A few stepped forward and headed towards me. I tapped my leg on the floor impatiently, indicating that they should hurry up. Pretty soon, I had several volunteers lined up in front of me. I recognized some of them, but others were faceless. Bill was amongst them, this time wearing a black eye patch like I had suggested.

"Firstly, you guys should know that the goal of my plan is to get myself, and hopefully, you guys to Kanto. We're going to be fighting those freaks so casualties are to be expected. No one should feel obligated to help me out."

"Don't worry about it Gold," replied one of the volunteers, "We know what we're getting in to. So what's the plan?"

I cleared my throat. "Right now, we're presumably the most wanted criminals in Johto. So we need to keep it quick and simple. Now, there are going to be two groups. Group A and group B. Group A will serve as the distraction; they will attack the Radio Tower. This serves two purposes: the priests will come flocking to the radio tower and away from the adjacent Magnet Train station, and if we succeed in taking over the radio tower, we can disrupt the broadcasting system they have in place and call for people to start a rebellion. It will stir up enough of a reaction to keep the Magnet Train as lightly guarded as possible," I grinned. Looks of approval and yearning for revenge spread across the line of volunteers. Not what I anticipated, but it was a good reaction nonetheless.

"Group B, led by me, will hijack the Magnet Train and ride it to Saffron city in Kanto while those freaks are distracted. Once Group A sees us speed by, they should escape and try to catch up to the train on a flying Pokémon. They could also go into hiding, your choice."

"Who will drive the train?" asked one of the volunteers.

I scratched my head sheepishly and laughed nervously. "Hadn't thought of that part yet."

"I can drive."

Everyone turned to look at Bill, who smiled back at them. "I'm one of the chief designers of the Magnet Train. I know how to drive it," Bill finished. I nodded and patted him on the back.

"Everyone cool with the plan? Final warning," I said. No one seemed to disapprove of the plan. "Good, get ready then. We'll move out at 1700."

2112

_At 17:00…_

"Everybody ready?" I asked enthusiastically, receiving a few nods in return. "Good. Group B, follow me. Group A, give 'em hell!"

We rushed out of the old house, splitting into two groups as we headed into different directions. The group I led headed to the Game Corner, where we would get a perfect vantage point over the train station and radio tower. The priests were increasingly wary as we entered downtown. But none had spotted us, as we kept ourselves expertly hidden. It didn't take long for us to see the colorful lights of the game corner. I wondered to myself why the priests left the power on in that particular building.

Considering the possibility of priests positioning themselves inside the game corner, we stood outside the game corner while one of the rebels was sending his Haunter to check.

"Oh my god…"

I turned to Bill, whose eyes were wide in fear. He was staring at a nearby alley where a man sat on his knees while eating what looked like severed human arms. I immediately looked away, knowing that distractions were the last thing we needed at this point.

I gently pulled Bill away from the sight. "Ignore it. We don't need distractions."

Bill looked horrified, but nodded all the same. I sighed. Looking over my plan, I realized that plenty of things could go wrong. We could have underestimated the number of priests in this city. They could have a spy within our group and ambush us at any given time. They could have already spotted us and were just waiting for the right moment to strike. _Do not wait for the iron to be hot to strike, but make it hot by striking, _I thought solemnly. It was one of those weird wise things Green would say whenever he felt the urge to speak. I had heard that everyone at Pallet Town was killed. Yet, I still cling on to the hope that one day Professor Oak would call my pokegear and talk about some ingenious plan to overthrow the priests. False hope, most likely. But I like to think so either way.

"There are two inside. No Pokémon out of their pokeballs," a rebel sounded out. I grinned. Our little group of seven were more than capable of taking them out. Gathering around the door, I signalled everyone to keep their Pokémon inside their pokeballs. I was going to take care of this.

I took out my billiard cue from my backpack and placed a pokeball in the ground. There was just enough room for the pokeball to slide under the door.

"Nyotaro, hypnosis!" I yell out as I hit the pokeball with the billiard cue. The pokeball enters the game corner and my Politoed, Nyotaro, attacks both priests with his hypnosis attack. I open the door to see two unconscious priests in those ostentatious clothes. A couple of rebels dragged the bodies away to tie them up while the rest positioned themselves to spectate. I return Nyotaro to his pokeball and take position myself.

I could hear the sounds of war coming from the direction of the radio tower. Screams, explosions and Pokémon attacks filled the air the closer you would go to the radio tower. Fortunately, the train station seemed to be well out of the way of the battle. All I feared was the safety of group A. Hopefully; they would make it out unscathed. Realistically, they probably wouldn't make it out at all. It was a suicide mission; we all knew that. I could only admire their bravery as they tore through the ranks of priests and proceeded to attack the radio tower. I turned to Bill, who was still shaken after what he saw earlier. I couldn't blame him. The only reason I'm not there moping with him is because I'd gotten used to seeing things like this. You learn to adapt when you live in a dysfunctional society like this. I briefly considered starting conversation, but found myself reluctant to do so. Nothing I have to say would make him feel better.

Suddenly, I heard the radio on my pokegear cackle to life. "Calling all trainers willing to help out. We, the Goldenrod Resistance, have taken over the radio tower and require assistance to take control over the entire city. Any help would be appreciated. Remember that we'll be kicking some priest ass so if you want to get revenge, get it while those fuckers are still weak and sparse in this city."

I grinned. The plan was coming together. Taking point, I led the group outside where we saw several people rush towards the radio tower. The path to the train station completely empty.

"Move!" I commanded, breaking into a sprint towards the train station. Everyone followed in suit, not one person faltering at the sight of dead humans and Pokémon sprawled around the downtown area. It wasn't very long before we entered the train station. It was, unsurprisingly, filled with large Pokémon carrying whatever the priests had transported with the Magnet Train. The number of priests was minimal. We took advantage of this and began our assault. I released Etaro, my Ambipom. He plopped out of his pokeball and onto the ground, grinning mischievously.

"Swagger!" Etaro went on to confuse two enemy Pokémon. I smirked as they attacked each other in their fit of confusion, the attack bonus the attack gave them had allowed them to faint each other.

We had taken control of the train station fairly quickly. Having not suffered any casualties, we boarded the train after making sure all the priests and their Pokémon were out cold. Bill took point, leading us to the control room of the train. His gaze wavered at the abnormally clean buttons and levers. He muttered to himself; guess he needed to remember how to drive it after such a long time. While this happened, I could smell the faint aroma of… Sleep powder? No. It had a spicy feel in it.

Deciding to investigate, I entered the main trailer of the train. I sniffed the air, following the smell to find the source, earning myself awkward looks from some.

Ignoring them, I continued to follow the trail. Just before I thought I had it, an incredibly speedy thing swept me off my feet, landing me on the ground. I saw a blur of yellow jump out one of the windows of the train.

I got up and shook my head. _Must be some wild Pokémon,_ I thought to myself.

The lights of the train came to life and the train's engine buzzed briefly before growling menacingly.

"Got it!" yelled Bill from across the train. Cheers of celebration filled the air as rebels began to relax and let down their guard. I frowned. This was the real part of the mission that was to prove difficult. Once the priests realize we have taken their train then they will flock from all the different parts of Johto, and maybe even Kanto, to stop us.

"This isn't the time to celebrate. Stay sharp," I said with a scowl uncharacteristic of me. Everyone turned to look at me, surprised at what I had said.

"But we're home free; no way can they catch us. This train goes 340 miles an hour," protested one of the rebels. I glowered at his foolishness.

"They'll catch up. Don't underestimate them," I replied scornfully. Sighing, I sat down on one of the many seats available in the train. I couldn't help but think that this world has changed me past the point of return. I like to remember the past when I was less serious. I'd still be the same if I hadn't witnessed so many deaths in my days. Gazing outside the windows, I saw the trees whizzing past us. Or rather, we were whizzing past them. _We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting, _I thought solemnly. Silver had told me that one from some poetry book he read many years ago. One can't help but admire the beauty of the world, even in the times of despair. I closed my eyes in relief, zoning out for a few minutes in a comfortable fantasy where life hadn't changed a decade ago. And things had just carried on as life would.

The moment was short lived. Because the train started rocking wildly as it was pummelled by explosions on the outside.

Cursing, I released Togetaro and leaped out the window. Togetaro caught me in time for him to fly me over the train. I saw several rebels following in suit, while the rest remained inside the train preparing for any priests who might enter the train. I told Togetaro to use Psychic on an enemy Altaria, sending it spiralling through the air until it slammed against the sides of the train and fell to the ground with its trainer. Ordering another attack, the next target was defeated similarly. _This is too easy. They must have an ulterior motive, _I thought. It was just then that I noticed a Metagross carrying that dreadful grey cube on its head. Next to it was a Probopass that did the same.

Remembering the effects of said cubes, I ordered Togetaro to dive. I landed on the train, almost falling off at the sudden change of speed. I took out Baktaro, who faltered slightly but didn't take long to steady his footing.

"Togetaro, Aura Sphere. Baktaro, Flamethrower," I yelled as loud as I can. The wind was deafening and the aerial attacks all around me were only making it worse. Thankfully, they had heard my command as Togetaro's attack slammed into Probopass, effectively knocking it off the train and the grey cube with it. Baktaro's attack had hit Metagross, but it protected the cube like a mother protected her child. I ordered both my Pokémon to attack again, only to be feebly ignored by the visibly weakened Metagross. It was determined to carry out its mission at all costs and was willing to bear the brunt of my attacks.

Suddenly, I felt a dark feeling overcome me. Everything had become creepily quiet and freakishly cold. I had felt this way before when the Masked Man had faced me several times. But this was different. The cold wasn't emanating out of Ice. It was coming out of pure fear. Not sure what to do, I quickly ordered Baktaro to use his strongest move.

"Blast Burn!"

The coldness ended, almost fleetingly as if it hadn't even been there. I sigh in relief as I realized that Baktaro's attack had decimated the Metagross and its cube. The coldness had left me completely exhausted more than anything else. I don't know how to describe it. It was an overwhelming sense that you get like nostalgia, but it was negative and morose like having your soul sucked out of you.

I looked up to the sky and noticed that there was no one in the air anymore; the battle had ended. Just when we were crossing between Tohjo Falls and Mount Shirogane.

I lay down on my back casually. I was feeling too lazy to go back inside the train; for a couple of minutes at least. That changed soon, however…

_I heard a bloodcurdling scream..._

2112

_A few minutes ago, inside the train…_

I sat in the control room anxiously. The train was now on full autopilot and wouldn't need a driver, as with most modern trains. I was simply sitting there knowing that something would eventually go wrong and I'd have to fix it. With the battle raging overhead, it's only logical that I prepare for a loss over victory. Better safe than sorry.

One of the computer screens showing vast arrays of data suddenly beeped incessantly. I ran over to see what the problem was. _One of the engines failed, _I thought, _not a big problem as long as the other three are intact. _

The train abruptly lurched backwards. Not stopping, but decelerating too fast. The train picked up speed again, albeit in a much slower manner. Checking the screen again, I saw that another engine had failed. If we lost one more then the train would go at a very slow pace leaving us sitting ducks to the priests. Not only that, but we would eventually stop if we are left with one lone engine. This train wasn't made to run with only one engine; it would eventually overheat and combust. Leaving us stranded in enemy territory.

I ran to the back of the train to check if the train had any spare engines. Passing two rebels who had stayed behind, I yelled at them to keep a close eye on the computer monitors. I reached the back, it was full of steel cages stained with blood and badly corroded. _Is this how they transport prisoners? _I pondered. Snapping out of my superfluous musing, I reminded myself that this situation was serious. If I don't find a spare engine and one of the engines in use fails we'd be royally screwed. I couldn't live with myself if I knew that I had a way to save the little group I was in.

I searched the area, making sure not to miss any little piece of detail that might give me a clue to where they keep their spare engines. I had just finished searching the room when I heard an explosion nearby. This explosion rocked the train and the sound was louder and probably coming from a closer source compared to the previous attacks. I enter the main trailer, only to find the bloodied remains of the two rebels that were here previously. Standing over the bloody mess were eight men in robes. I glare at them defiantly; surprising myself mentally in the process. I've never been the rebellious kind, but in times like these not being rebellious is considered a sign of insanity.

None of the priests had attacked me yet. A taller man wearing a slightly different robe with a blue crescent on it was looking at me with interest. Perhaps they had different plans for me? I wouldn't give in to them. I'd put up a fight, even if I die in the process I had decided. Logic did not seem to be important anymore, valiancy is the only word I can use to describe the state I was in.

"The famous researcher Bill; inventor of the Pokémon storage system. Fancy meeting you here," his voice was tainted with arrogance. I dug a hand into my pocket, grabbing my pokeballs in determination and releasing my Vulpix, Exeggutor and Farfetch'd. I decided to keep Arcanine as backup in case I slip up. It would be more difficult to control four Pokémon at the same time anyway.

"Flamethrower! Egg Bomb! Aerial Ace!"

My Pokémon were not hesitant to obey, releasing a barrage of attacks onto the priests. Only half of them were affected, while the other half released their own Pokémon and began to order attacks.

I cursed, knowing that there was no way I could defeat any of them. I'm a Pokémon researcher, not a trainer. I dodged an attack sent by an enemy Blaziken. It was just the first of many attacks. I wasn't as lucky as before; I got hit by several attacks.

Struggling to control my Pokémon and dodging attacks at the same time, I sent out Arcanine to replace my already fainted Farfetch'd and Vulpix, subsequently returning them to their pokeballs.

Arcanine immediately fainted. A hydro pump attack had hit him from a Milotic. I returned Arcanine to his pokeball and turned to the small priest group's supposed leader. He was smirking in the most pompous manner I have seen. The battle was still raging outside as it did inside, many of those who were outside not even realizing that the train had been boarded. What came next surprised even me.

"Exeggutor, explosion!" I cried out in frustration. In a split second I was engulfed in light, only to have everything black out a second later.

It wasn't very long before I regained consciousness. At least, it didn't feel long. I quickly scrambled to my feet, looking around for my Exeggutor. Once I had found his burnt body, I returned him to his pokeball with a saddened expression.

I took notice of the dead bodies slumped on the train floor. Surprisingly, the train was still intact and the sounds of battle had almost completely vanished from outside; the only voice I could hear was Gold's as he ordered his Pokémon series of attacks.

Walking towards the control room, I stop as I feel something grabbing onto my leg. I see that their leader had survived the explosion, unlike the rest of his little group. With his other hand, he took out a knife, pointing it at me menacingly.

"You won't leave this place alive."

I grabbed the knife from his hand faster than I thought was humanly possible, stabbing him through the right eye and again through the mouth. He screamed in extreme agony, which I pointedly ignored. Before I knew it, I had lost myself in the bloodlust. At the time, I hadn't realized it, but I was laughing. _Laughing. _

I don't clearly remember what happened after that; I had begun to lose myself as I continued to cut his body and rip out his flesh.

"Bill!" I could sense how awestruck Gold was from the tone of his voice. I continued to laugh, as if Gold wasn't even there.

He grabbed my hand and took the knife from me. It was then that I had stopped laughing and realized what I was doing. I could only blankly stare at the completely ravaged body sitting in front of me. I continued to stare while Gold was talking to me. I had no idea what he was saying. And only one thing was running through my mind.

_I am a murderer…_

2112

_This is bad. This is very bad._

In front of me was a blood covered Bill, staring into the void with eyes completely devoid of emotion or even consciousness. I heard something similar about this. They call it the thousand-mile stare, and it's a symptom of PTSD. Whatever that is.

One of the computers in the control room was making an annoying beeping sound, so I went to check it out. It didn't seem like Bill was listening to what I was telling him anyway.

Looking at the screen, it said that three of the four engines had failed.

_Well, that can't be good_.

I returned to Bill, asking him what to do in such a situation. He ignored me; not surprising in his state of mind. I couldn't help but look at the grimness of the situation. The only other person alive on this train was mentally disturbed, I was surrounded by dead bodies and pretty soon, if I don't fix one of the engines, I was going to join them.

I looked around for something that could give me a clue of what to do. They must have some kind of backup engine for emergencies. But from the looks of things, whatever was in the train it was probably already destroyed.

_Wait… If most of the train is destroyed… Then why don't we… _

I grinned at the genius I was displaying with my idea. Why didn't I think of it before? I run towards Bill and carry him over my shoulder towards the control room. Once we were there, I locked the door leading to the main trailer and looked over the controls of the train. This kind of technology was foreign to me, but it didn't take a genius to notice the big green button labelled 'DISENGAGE'. I pressed it, hoping that it did what I think it did. The train suddenly shifted, and began to pick up more speed. Looking through one of the windows at the back, I saw that the rest of the train had stopped moving and was left behind.

Now that the engine only had to carry the control room, it wasn't in danger of overheating as it was before. At least, I hoped it wasn't. The train started going faster than it was before. I hoped that was a good sign.

I looked at Bill; he was still silent and staring into empty space. Couldn't be helped, I suppose. A person like Bill wasn't made out for killing. Or harming anything in general, in fact. After all, he was just a Pokémon researcher.

The train soon came to a stop. I looked outside the window to see the tall buildings of Saffron looming in the now dark sky. I beckoned Bill to leave the train with me, he seemed to understand that much.

Opening the emergency hatch above, I climbed to the roof of the train. Bill followed in suit, almost mechanically so. I almost fell off the roof when I saw the army of priests rallied in front of the train. None of them were looking happy.

Knowing that this can only end badly if we don't escape now, I took out Baktaro.

"Eruption!"

The attack was perfect; it hit a wide radius and was strong enough to keep them occupied while we escaped. _That was easy, _I thought to myself as I ran through streets. I thought that those priests would put up more of a fight. But then again, maybe that eruption attack was stronger than I thought it was.

My thoughts were cut short when I was pulled into an alley, Bill hurdling towards me in the process. I pushed Bill off me and turned to give whoever pulled me a piece of my mind. I was surprised to see who it was.

"Don't talk. You're attracting a lot of attention as it is. Now follow me."

Silver didn't look any different than before. He was a bit taller and that was it. He wore the same clothes, had the same long strikingly red hair and grey eyes. Bill and I followed him through the alley. He led us to a house, entering it without a word. The second I saw the soft couch in the middle of the living room, I plopped down and relaxed my body. The amount of exhaustion I was in was too large for words to successfully convey. I closed my eyes and felt myself drift into sleep, without a care for anything in the world.

Silver had to ruin it, of course.

"What's up with him?" he asked, I opened my eyes to see him pointing at Bill, who was sitting on a nearby chair staring off into space. _Shit, I forgot about him. _

"Not sure. I found him stabbing a priest to the point of mutilation even after death," I replied with a quiet voice. Silver just nodded and snapped his fingers in front of Bill's eyes. He didn't blink.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder. We'll need to snap him out of it."

"How do you suggest we do that?" I asked skeptically. I had tried to snap him out of it before, nothing had worked.

"PTSD victims often go into a different reality; a fantasy of sorts. We have to figure out what kind of fantasy he's in. Usually it's something that relates to the act that got them into PTSD in the first place."

Silver walked up to Bill and studied him quietly. I yawned and closed my eyes again. My ears perked up when I heard Silver talk again.

"Bill, this is your mother. Are you okay?" I looked at Silver in surprise; why was he pretending to be Bill's mother?

When Bill didn't answer, Silver continued, "Daisy is worried about you. Can you tell me where you are?"

"A boat," Bill spoke in monotone, still in a trance-like state.

"Where is this boat headed?" Silver pried further.

"One island."

"Why are you heading there?"

A tear rolled down Bill's face, causing me to ignore doubts on Silver's method. He spoke again, "My expertise is needed."

"And why do you feel obliged to offer your expertise?" Silver's voice was growing in volume from the much gentler voice from before.

"Because I'm a murderer!" shrieked Bill, falling to the ground crying. He sobbed loudly and would mumble in an incoherent ramble. Silver stepped back to give Bill some space.

"It's only temporary. He's still going to feel guilty about what he did and he will get frequent panic attacks," Silver stated dryly. I simply stared at Bill, his fragile state of mind making me somewhat apprehensive. Silver nudged me, pointing to a door. I followed him into the other room, it was just as dull and grey as the one before.

"I infiltrated one of the priest bases, like I'd said before. You'll never guess who I found there."

I raised my eyebrow, "Well, go on."

"Lt. Surge and Sabrina."

I stared at Silver. Not sure how I'm supposed to react to that kind of information. So I just settled with a blank "What?"

"Not only did I see them there. But they didn't act like total robots similarly to the rest of the priests. I think they have conscious minds," his statement was said like it was some major discovery, causing me to snicker slightly.

"I've seen plenty of them that can do that. Sure, most of them are mindless drones, but I've met several who can think for themselves."

"That's the point; the ones who think for themselves are the high ranking ones in the organization. The rest are just brainwashed with that odd grey cube they carry around. If two ex-Team Rocket members are part of this organization then we may be looking at another incarnation of Team Rocket," Silver quickly defended. I could see where he was going. "If that's true, then we may have found a way to defeat them. The reason we couldn't defeat them before is because they outnumber us; the still do, but now we know who we need to attack specifically."

I nodded. "You're suggesting that taking out the ones who can think for themselves—the leaders—will leave the rest of them not knowing what to do?"

"Not exactly," he replied, "We still don't know how they're brainwashing people. We need more information before we decide to do something."

I was more than curious at where he was going with this, "What do you have in mind?"

"We infiltrate one of their main bases. One of those 'temples of syrinx', as they call it."

I blinked. They actually had temples? I thought they just said that for show. "Where exactly is that?"

Silver took his pokegear out, turning on the map option. He pointed to a city in the eastern parts of Kanto. "Lavender Town. They built it there sometime after they took over Kanto. I didn't consider going there before because of the large presence of the enemy. If we're ever going to find out more we'll have to go there."

I gave Silver a rough pat on the back, to which he responded by glaring at me. "If that's all, I'm gonna go rest now."

Silver didn't reply. Not that I expected him to. I went back to the couch I was trying to sleep in before. Bill had stopped crying and fell asleep on the floor.

_I closed my eyes and let myself drift away._

2112

_Slateport City, Hoenn_

The streets of Slateport were ever so cheerful. People strolling by casually, not giving you the second glance or predatory eyes. That's what I liked to imagine.

In reality, the streets were empty, making them seem hollow. Priests didn't bother to patrol the streets; they were feared enough as is and no one would dare to defy them. I don't see the logic of that. But then again, who's to say they adhere to logic anyway? Almost no one does nowadays. Not that they have a reason to. Pretty soon, I had come to realize that I am a living paradox.

Who gives a crap?

I reminded myself that I had a mission; a fairly difficult one at that. I'm supposed to meet those two tomorrow, yet I can't help but wonder if they were even alive at this point. I haven't been in contact with any of my friends in quite a while now. Only reason I know when and where to go tomorrow is because of a message I received on my pokegear, which I didn't even know could function.

Right now, I'm staring out the window of this small house I'm in. It's becoming dark and I could see people dressed in dark cloaks with odd symbols engraved on the palms of their hands marching down towards the museum in an orderly fashion. I close the window and barricade it with wood, like I do every night. Recent sightings of those people dressed in dark cloaks have been increasing, and rumor has it that they go around looking for sacrifices to make to their God, whoever that is.

There were creeps like them everywhere. They prowl the streets looking for food, pleasure and a reason to live. More often the former expressions than the latter.

I let myself sleep. I'd probably need the energy for tomorrow.

_If only I realized the truth behind those words._

**A/N: I decided to split this chapter into two parts since I probably won't finish the rest for a while. I'm a fast writer, but I'm easily demotivated. Don't be shy to drop a review; I'd be happy to get some feedback. **


End file.
